The UEFA Nations League is back, and for the next 10 days, football fans will focus on this competition. Of course, there are plenty of others, like the South American or the Asian World Cup qualifiers, but the European battles will attract the most attention. What we need to add is that there will be several super spectacles, one of them being Italy vs. Belgium.
Two European powerhouses are about to clash in Rome, both needing a win. The hosts want to stay at the top of this assembly, while Belgium has to take three points here (or at least stay unbeaten) to attack one of two places leading to the knockout stage.
This is the link to find the odds for Italy vs. Belgium and many other events this weekend.
Italy VS Belgium Preview
Italy
With back-to-back victories, Italy managed to sit atop the group, which, in addition to them and Belgium, also includes France and Israel. Azzurri were better than France in Paris despite a rocky start. Spalletti’s boys conceded less than a minute after the kick-off. After that early hiccup, the former European champs rose and beat the hosts 3-1.
Next, Italy faced Israel, where a determined 2-1 victory propelled them to the group’s top, offering some redemption following a disappointing run at the EUROs.
However, one area of concern for Italy is its defense. Traditionally a trademark of the Italian national team, and the reason why they won all of their international trophies is now their greatest problem. Believe it or not, Azzurri have allowed a goal in the previous six straight matches.
Belgium
The Red Devils are facing a major challenge. Kevin De Bruyne, a key player of this unit, is out, and that’s a terrible blow to the team and the locker room. The team must find ways to fill the gap left by his absence. That’s easier said than done, but the head coach, Domenico Tedesco, has no other option.
Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco named his squad on Friday that will take on Italy and France in the Nations League, with Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne missing out through injury.#Belgium #DomenicoTedesco #NewsUpdates #ManchesterCity #NewsUpdates #SportsNews…
— The Daily Star (@dailystarnews) October 4, 2024
Several other players are also out, most notably Romelu Lukaku. However, the Devils have plenty of offensive talent with Openda, Doku, etc., so this won’t hurt like De Bruyne’s absence.
Belgium has a win and a loss in the UEFA Nations League so far. They were better than Israel in the opening contest, 3-1, but after that, they routinely lost to France on the road, 2-0. It was a frustrating performance in which we haven’t seen pretty much anything
Italy VS Belgium Head to Head
There have been some pretty good direct encounters between the two sides over the past years. During the 2021 Nations League, Italy claimed victory 2-1 in the third-place playoff. Earlier that year, at the 2021 EURO, Italy again got the better of Belgium with an identical scoreline. Later, they went on to win the tournament.
Italy VS Belgium Prediction
Luciano Spalletti has transformed the Italian playstyle, emphasizing the offensive aspect of the game. That’s why sometimes the back line stays exposed and cracks under pressure. However, the attackers and the midfielders are very, very dangerous for the rival’s goal.
Meanwhile, Belgium presents an unpredictable but powerful team. We need to admit that there aren’t too many better offenses than Belgium’s but on the other side, their defense has been rather weak in the last two years.
With both teams displaying vulnerability in defense and having solid attacks, this clash promises to be a thrilling, goal-filled encounter. Over 2.5 goals seems a likely scenario in what is expected to be an action-packed match.
The odds are solid, and this pick has a certain value, so it’s worth taking.
